Category: Bedford

The 22-acre site would deliver homes with up to five bedrooms, including bungalowsAn illustrative masterplan of Bellway’s proposed 180-home development at Myers Road, Potton(Image: Bellway)A developer is hoping to build up to 180 new homes in a town near Cambridgeshire. Bellway Strategic Land is seeking outline planning permission to Central Bedfordshire Council for the development of land north of Myers Road on the edge of Potton.The proposals for the 22-acre site would deliver a range of homes with up to five bedrooms, including bungalows. Of the 180 homes, 30 per cent of the properties would be offered as affordable housing for low-cost rent or shared ownership.The site would provide public open space, children’s play areas, and new walking and cycling routes. According to Bellway Strategic Land, the development could also support expanding the Potton Green Wheel, which aims to connect publicly accessible routes and green spaces around the town.Matthew Gransbury, strategic land and planning associate for Bellway, said: “There is a significant and growing need for new housing in Central Bedfordshire. Our proposals for the site at Myers Road would help to address this identified shortfall across the district whilst also meeting the recognised demand for smaller-sized properties for first-time buyers and downsizers within Potton itself.“With almost 3,000 households on the district’s housing waiting list, the need for affordable homes is particularly acute. This development would provide 30 per cent affordable housing in line with the council’s policy requirements.”Before submitting a planning application, Bellway Strategic Land, part of Bellway, conducted an extensive consultation process which involved engagement with the local planning authority, ward councillors, Potton Town Council, and residents.Mr Gransbury said feedback received during this process was “integral in shaping the proposals to balance the requirement for new housing with the need to respect the countryside setting”.As a result, the maximum number of homes proposed has reduced from 200 to 180, allowing for more green space between the development and existing properties on Myers Road. Proposed allotments have been changed in favour of more tree planting and community orchards.The development would provide 10.5 acres of green space, including children’s play areas. A new priority junction would be created to allow vehicles to access the development from Everton Road, while a second emergency access would be provided from Myers Road.The proposals would also see highway improvements at the Myers Road and Everton Road junction, alongside enhanced pedestrian and cycle connectivity through to Potton Primary School.If outline planning permission is granted, a reserved matters application will then be submitted to determine the exact number and mix of homes to be built.

Police said they had identified a 55-year-old man who was pronounced dead at the sceneStock image of police officers(Image: Brian A Jackson/Getty Images)Police have named the man who died at a lake on the Cambridgeshire border. At around 7am on May 28, Bedfordshire Police were alerted to a man’s body in the Manor Farm lakes near the village of Stratford, about three miles from the border with Cambridgeshire.Emergency services attended the incident, and the body was recovered and pronounced dead at the scene. Police have now named the man as 55-year-old Lee Morgan from Luton.Police said it was not treating Mr Morgan’s death as suspicious and has passed the case to the local coroner.Detective Sergeant Lisa Whitson, of Bedfordshire Police, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with Mr Morgan’s family at this sad time.“We are still following lines of enquiry to establish the circumstances around this tragic incident, but we are not treating it as suspicious, and a file has been passed to the coroner.”

Police have named the man who died at a lake on the Cambridgeshire border. At around 7am on May 28, Bedfordshire Police were alerted to a man’s body in the Manor Farm lakes near the village of Stratford, about three miles from the border with Cambridgeshire.
Emergency services attended the incident, and the body was recovered and pronounced dead at the scene. Police have now named the man as 55-year-old Lee Morgan from Luton.

Police said it was not treating Mr Morgan’s death as suspicious and has passed the case to the local coroner.
Detective Sergeant Lisa Whitson, of Bedfordshire Police, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with Mr Morgan’s family at this sad time.
“We are still following lines of enquiry to establish the circumstances around this tragic incident, but we are not treating it as suspicious, and a file has been passed to the coroner.”

Union says staff working extra are losing £120 a shift under new rulesA strike could be on the wayAuthor: Richard MuriePublished 1 hour agoLast updated 1 hour agoOperating theatre staff in Bedfordshire hospitals are preparing for potential strike action after voting unanimously against changes to their overtime pay, according to UNISON. The decision follows the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s move to cease time-and-a-half overtime payments for workers exceeding their 37.5-hour weekly contracts earlier this year. Under the new arrangements, staff must book additional shifts through the Trust’s ‘bank’ system, receiving standard pay rates for extra hours worked. As a result, experienced nurses and operating department practitioners are losing approximately £120 per shift. UNISON warns that the reduction in pay could exacerbate staffing issues and lead to increased cancellation of operations. Strike dates are likely to be revealed soon unless the Trust reintroduces the previous overtime rates, which would prevent industrial action entirely, the union stated. Staff reactions and union statementsUNISON Eastern head of health, Caroline Hennessy, commented on the situation: “The NHS is under huge financial pressure at the moment, but bosses shouldn’t go looking in theatre staff’s pockets to make their savings.” “This unanimous vote for strikes shows exactly how upset workers are at this raid on their wages.” “There’s still time to avoid strikes — the Trust just has to bring back the overtime rates that workers were paid already.” Elaine Inacio, a senior theatre assistant at Bedford Hospital, added her perspective: “Staff aren’t asking for anything extra, just the pay we were on before.” “It’s already stressful enough working in operating theatres, but morale has absolutely plummeted since this pay cut.” “Nobody wants to go on strike, but we’ve been left with no choice.” Trust’s response and future stepsA spokesperson for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust addressed the concerns raised by staff and unions: “We value our theatre teams enormously and fully recognise the skill, commitment and pressure involved in their roles.” “We are sorry that some colleagues feel distressed by the recent changes, and we are continuing to meet with staff and trade union representatives to listen to their concerns.” “Earlier this year, the Trust standardised overtime and additional hours payments for theatre staff so that all colleagues are paid consistently and in line with national NHS Agenda for Change arrangements.” “These changes were introduced to ensure fairness across our workforce, to bring legacy local arrangements in line with Trust wide standards, and to support the long-term sustainability of our services.” “We remain committed to working constructively with UNISON and our theatre teams, and we hope to avoid any industrial action.” The Trust emphasised its priority to maintain safe, high-quality patient care while supporting its staff as much as possible. Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.

Tiff Mills expects the Norfolk Ladies golf team to be very competitive this week when they will try to clinch the East region title for a third straight year.The side triumphed in the annual ‘County Match Days’ at Felixstowe Ferry in 2024 and repeated the feat in Bedfordshire 12 months ago.Mills, who secured the winning point last time, will captain Norfolk in the flagship championship, which takes place from June 12-14 at St Ives Golf Club in Cambridgeshire.Norfolk golf captain Tiffany Mills, who plays for Ryston Park. Picture: Rushmer PRThe Ryston Park golfers’ nine-strong side begins its three-peat attempt on Friday morning, lining up against Essex. Norfolk will go on to face Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Bedfordshire and Cambs & Hunts.Each match comprises two foursomes and three singles ties. And the winner of the round robin tournament will earn the right to tee up in late July in the English Women’s County Finals at Betchworth Park, Surrey.Mills, 35, joked: “I think we’re always going to have a target on our back being double reigning champions – everyone will be out to get us!“But we have strong singles players and it’s just getting those foursomes right. “Foursomes is tricky because it’s not something we practise throughout the year. But we’re lucky we’ve got some players from the same club that have played together before. “We’ve got a slightly different team to previous years. We’ve got a couple of rookies – Anita Booth and Ruby Reeve.“Anita played for the County 2s last year and she’s got a very steady game and a match play head, so I think she’ll make a good partner.“Ruby’s really determined and very committed to the county – and that’s what you want as part of your team. “We’ve also got Laura Todd, a player who came from Cambridgeshire and is now playing for us.”Mills is pleased to have talented Chloe Tarbard returning to the side. Also in the line-up is fellow teenager Amelie Marling, another fine young player to have come through Norfolk’s junior girls programme. Last year’s Norfolk Ladies county champion Harriet Allsebrook, former county captain Jo Herd and Ruby Patterson complete the team.For Mills, it will be the 20th significant tournament in which she has represented her home county. The career greenkeeper first played County Match Days in 2011 and, on five occasions, has been part of a winning team that’s progressed to the national finals.Captaincy brings fresh challenges but Mills is happy to embrace them as part of her journey within the Norfolk Ladies set-up.The 2024 women’s county champion said: “I did have to think hard about it because I still play golf quite competitively and to have the responsibility of everyone else is quite daunting. But obviously, I’ve been part of county golf for a long time and am giving something back.”Mills pinpoints team spirit as a key strength to Norfolk Ladies golf. And the team’s togetherness, alongside it’s undoubted ability, has led to a welcome association with insurance company Adrian Flux. Mills added: “We are grateful for the ongoing support from Adrian Flux, whose generosity has helped give us more opportunities. And, thanks to them, we are delighted to have some additional kit to wear this week.”*Scores from each match will be available to view via www.norfolkladiesgolf.co.ukNorfolk team: Tiff Mills (Ryston Park), Harriet Allsebrook (Hunstanton), Anita Booth (Royal Cromer), Jo Herd (Royal Norwich) Amelie Marling (Barnham Broom), Ruby Patterson (Royal Cromer), Ruby Reeve (Thetford), Chloe Tarbard (Royal Norwich) Laura Todd (Thetford). Non-travelling reserve: Tracey Williamson (Sheringham).Picture caption (credit Rushmer PR): Tiff Mills leads Norfolk Ladies in their bid to land a third successive East region crown

Author:

Batrak Oleksandr

— Editor-in-Chief at Railway Supply

10.06.2026

Universal Resort transport investment will support a £1.3 billion transport and local infrastructure package linked to the planned Universal United Kingdom Resort in Bedfordshire.
The new Universal resort in Bedfordshire is expected to boost the entire UK economy© NBC Universal
The £1.3 billion package⁠ is intended to prepare the area for the resort’s expected opening-year demand, with visitor numbers forecast to reach 8.5 million in the first year.
The programme is designed to improve access for both local communities and visitors, while also supporting wider economic activity in Bedfordshire and along the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor.
Transport works form the largest part of the investment
Within the programme, transport works will form the largest part of the investment. The Department for Transport is expected to provide £474 million for road and rail improvements, including a new station at Wixams on the Midland Main Line and upgrades to local highway infrastructure⁠ serving the resort site.
The planned measures are intended to strengthen links between the development, London, nearby towns and international access points, including London Luton Airport.
Universal United Kingdom Resort planned near Bedford
The announcement follows earlier Government backing for the project and reflects the demand expected at the resort. Universal has described the development as one of the largest entertainment projects ever undertaken in Europe, while Government projections indicate that it could become the UK’s most visited tourist attraction.
The resort is planned⁠ for the former Kempston Hardwick brickworks site near Bedford. The development is expected to create around 20,000 construction jobs, followed by a further 8,000 permanent roles once operations begin.
According to estimates from the Government and the local authority, the project could add up to £50 billion to the UK economy by 2055.

British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves meets with Comcast NBCUniversal’s Universal Destinations & Experiences Chairman and CEO Mark Woodbury, in London, Britain. — Reuters
Comcast NBCUniversal will invest more than £5 billion in building its first European theme park in Bedfordshire, north of London, supported by £1.3 billion of government money to upgrade road and rail links and other infrastructure.The resort, which was first announced in April 2025, will be named “Universal United Kingdom Resort”, the US media giant said on Wednesday.It will employ nearly 20,000 during construction and create a further 8,000 jobs when it opens in 2031, it added.Universal Studios has five resorts and parks in the US states of California and Florida as well as in Singapore, Japan and China, offering rides and attractions based on Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and other movie franchises.The company has said the UK park will feature “several themed lands” and aims to attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year.Once completed, the resort would mark Universal’s first move into the European theme park market, positioning Bedfordshire as a major new leisure destination and adding to the UK’s portfolio of large-scale tourism projects. The government support will focus on transport links and surrounding infrastructure needed to serve visitors and workers.British finance minister Rachel Reeves and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy joined Comcast chairman Brian Roberts in Downing Street to unveil the name and logo for the resort, with Nandy calling the investment a “huge vote of confidence” in Britain.Roberts said Comcast had a “long and proud history” in Britain through pay-TV business Sky, which is in talks to buy ITV’s broadcasting unit and NBCUniversal; and it looked forward to creating “a spectacular destination”.Comcast bought a 500-acre former brickworks in Bedfordshire, about 55 miles north of London, in 2023 for the park and it was granted planning permission in December 2025. — Reuters

A series of knife sweeps were carried out across parks in the Borough by Bedford Borough Council’s Community Safety Team.
Council officers carefully searched areas in Bedford Park, Russell Park and Addison Howard Park in Kempston during three afternoons in May.
The recent knife sweeps help to keep parks and open spaces in the Borough free from hidden or discarded weapons, and continue to keep them a safe space for everyone to enjoy. 
During the latest searches, Council officers did not find any concealed weapons or hazardous items.
This latest initiative is part of the Council’s commitment to tackle serious violence together with community partner, the Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP).
The knife sweeps also formed part of Operation Sceptre; a biannual national campaign aimed at reducing knife crime and serious violence across the UK.
Find out more about how Bedford Borough Council works with its partners to tackle violence and exploitation at https://bedsvepp.org/
Councillor Andrea Spice, Portfolio Holder for Economic Prosperity, Planning, Housing and Regulatory Services said; “To help minimise and combat serious violence in our Borough, our officers coordinated three knife sweeps in our parks to keep our well-loved green spaces free from weapons and dangerous items.
“We are determined to keep Bedford Borough safe for all and I am pleased to say that our officers did not find any targeted objects in the latest searches.
“We will continue to work closely with our community partners to ensure everyone across the Borough, young and old, is supported and continues to feel safe.”

Operating theatre staff to strike over overtime pay cut

By Lee Peart

08 June 2026

Operating theatre staff at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have voted to strike over a cut in overtime payments.

c) Niek Verlaan/Pixabay

UNISON said the trust’s move to standard bank overtime rates from the previous agreement to pay staff time and a half beyond their 37.5 hours a week will leave workers around £120 out of pocket per shift.
Elaine Inacio, a senior theatre assistant at Bedford Hospital, said: ‘Staff aren’t asking for anything extra, just the pay we were on before.
‘It’s already stressful enough working in operating theatres, but morale has absolutely plummeted since this pay cut.
‘Nobody wants to go on strike, but we’ve been left with no choice.’
A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: ‘We value our theatre teams enormously and fully recognise the skill, commitment and pressure involved in their roles. We are sorry that some colleagues feel distressed by the recent changes, and we are continuing to meet with staff and trade union representatives to listen to their concerns and to ensure they have all the correct information in relation to the changes.
‘Earlier this year, the trust standardised overtime and additional‑hours payments for theatre staff so that all colleagues are paid consistently and in line with national NHS Agenda for Change arrangements.
‘This followed a lengthy and formal consultation process, including individual discussions with affected staff and engagement with trade unions and ACAS. These changes were not made lightly. They were introduced to ensure fairness across our workforce, to bring legacy local arrangements in line with trust‑wide standards, and to support the long‑term sustainability of our services. We remain committed to working constructively with UNISON and our theatre teams, and we hope to avoid any industrial action. Our priority is always to maintain safe, high‑quality care for patients while supporting our staff as much as possible.’

(Alliance News) – Henry Boot PLC on Monday reported a sale by its land promotion and planning arm, Hallam Land, to FTSE 100-listed housebuilder Persimmon PLC. According to Henry Boot, the sale generated an ungeared internal rate of return just shy of 17% per year from acquisition, which will be reflected in 2026 earnings. Further financial details were not provided.Shares in the Sheffield, England-based construction and property development firm were down 0.3% to 164.50 pence on Monday morning in London. Persimmon shares were down 2.3% to 1,043.50p.The 105-acre site is in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, and has permission for 416 residential units, Henry Boot noted. Hallam had entered a planning promotion agreement for the land back in 2017. Its revised planning application was approved in November, following refusal of the initial application in 2023. The 415-unit application makes provision for up to 125 affordable units, and publicly accessible space, required under Section 106 of the UK Town & Country Planning Act.Chief Executive Tim Roberts commented: “This transaction is another strong example of Hallam Land’s ability to both consistently unlock value through the promotion of well located strategic land and subsequently realise that value for shareholders through sales to housebuilders.”By Holly Munks, Alliance News reporterComments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.comCopyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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